Which No Longer Human translation should you read?
English editions of Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human (1948) differ in translation, presentation and supporting material. Start with the translator’s name, then compare a sample and the edition’s contents. A new cover may contain a familiar translation; a different English title may contain the same novel.
This guide is published by Time Warp Editions, publisher of Saori Motoyama’s annotated edition. It compares selected published editions, not every English version. Edition details checked 9 September 2026.
Choose according to how you read
- For a course or reading group: use the translator and ISBN requested. Page references and wording differ between editions.
- For the voice: read a sample before choosing. Notice the narrator’s rhythm, his jokes and the distance between what he says and what he reveals. Publication date alone cannot tell you which voice you will prefer.
- For context alongside the novel: compare the actual notes, introduction and glossary. Check where they appear so you can decide whether to consult them during or after your first reading.
- For an ebook or gift: confirm the format, print size and delivery date on the specific listing. A shared cover does not make paperback, hardcover and Kindle interchangeable.
Four editions to compare
Donald Keene — New Directions
New Directions publishes Donald Keene’s translation as No Longer Human. Its listed paperback has 192 pages, ISBN 9780811204811, and a publication date of 1 April 1973. That date identifies this paperback record; it is not the date Dazai wrote the novel.
If your class or discussion group specifies Keene, match the ISBN as well as the translator. Check the New Directions edition.
Mark Gibeau — A Shameful Life
Stone Bridge Press publishes Mark Gibeau’s translation under the title A Shameful Life. It is Dazai’s Ningen Shikkaku, the novel also known as No Longer Human, rather than a sequel. The publisher lists 13 November 2018, 144 pages, and paperback ISBN 9781611720440.
Remember the alternative title when searching retailer catalogues. See the publisher’s details and preview.
Juliet Winters Carpenter — Tuttle
Tuttle’s No Longer Human, translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter, was published on 5 March 2024. The listed paperback has 160 pages and ISBN 9784805317426.
Compare the available sample with the other translations rather than assuming that a more recent publication is automatically the right choice for you. Check the Tuttle edition.
Saori Motoyama — Time Warp Editions
No Longer Human: The Annotated Edition (2026), translated by Saori Motoyama, pairs the novel with section-by-section endnotes, an editor’s introduction, an essay on the red spider lily, a chronology and a glossary of Japanese terms. The paperback has 213 pages, ISBN 9781967573127.
Choose this edition if you want supporting Japanese historical and cultural context in the same volume. The endnotes are separate from the narrative, so you can turn to them as needed. The longer page count includes additional material; it does not by itself establish a longer or more complete translation.
View the annotated paperback on Amazon · View hardcover · View Kindle
For a preview, open the paperback listing and choose Read sample, where Amazon makes it available. These links open the product pages; they do not automatically open the sample. Check the current price and availability for your location before ordering.
Common questions
Is A Shameful Life the same novel?
Yes. It is Mark Gibeau’s English translation of Dazai’s Ningen Shikkaku. The different English title does not mean it is a different work.
Does a higher page count mean more of the original text?
Not necessarily. Type size, page dimensions, spacing and additional material all affect the count. Compare the contents and the publisher’s description rather than treating page count as a measure of completeness.
Is Junji Ito’s No Longer Human a translation of the prose novel?
It is a manga adaptation. If you want to read Dazai’s prose in English, look for a prose edition that names its translator. You may enjoy both, but they offer different reading experiences.
Which translation is best?
There is no single answer established by these bibliographic records. They tell you what you are buying, not which narrator’s voice you will prefer. Match your course requirements or reading needs, then compare samples. Our edition’s documented distinction is its supporting material; we do not claim that the other translations are inferior.
Return to the No Longer Human summary, themes and reader questions.